Two Adoptions and Carson is in Petco!

Nadia, my second foster bunny to graduate to living at Petco, was adopted on Sunday. There were two approved adopters meeting the 8 rabbits we have available up here. Nadia went home with a young woman who doesn't have kids (a quieter home was best for Nad). The other approved adopter was a family with a 10-year-old or so daughter.

The daughter met everybun (except for Cassandra), and it was down to Greta and Joshua (Josh being one bun I brought back from Indy on 7/3). The girl picked Joshua!! They're getting him tonight. I had a vet visit scheduled to get a handle on Joshua's sneezing and stuff, to see if there was anything I should be doing for him, and they're going to be there for the exam, too. He and the girl really hit it off, and he just loved being petted. I think she'll have a great confidant and snuggler in Joshua.

Since Nadia had been living in the Merrillville Petco, her being adopted left an empty hexi. I had mentioned Carson to the chapter head before, and she felt it'd be fine to enroll him into the IHRS system. It was hard leaving him at the Petco, but I'll know he'll do great there. He's such a sweet guy, and he'll love everyone who comes to see him. I'm trying not to think about my "empty cage" syndrome, and I know it's for the best that he's at the Petco. A lot of people will get to see him and fall in love with him. Hopefully his forever home will find him soon.

Mama

Caspian at Work

Last Thursday, we were getting out of work early to get a jump start on the holiday. I asked my boss if I could bring in Caspian to "cute-n up the office" - she said yes. So, Caspian got to come to work. I should have brought my camera.

Everyone loved him, especially when I put him down on the floor and he went hopping around, entering other peoples' cubicles and offices at whim. (I work in publishing.) The production group really loved seeing him hop around, especially since his lop ears bounce and he moves along. He even did a few binkies, though mostly out of sight of his adoring fans. He stretched out on the floor in the hallway, too, for a little bit. He stayed that way until I brought some of the gang over to check it out and one touched his big fuzzy feet and made him sit back up again.

I think Caspian liked being here with me, and it was nice to have somebun cuddly here at work.

Mama

Bunny Swap

Well, all sorts of things have been going on in the warren in the last few weeks. Kristie, my first foster bunny "graduate" who went to live in Petco, is back with me. She was getting stressed out at the store (she'd been there for 6 mos., I think).

Greta, Kristie, and I went down to Indy on June 22nd for bunny dates. Harrison came along, too, and he went to a different foster home and I got Cinnabun to keep my big bun slot filled. Kristie was pretty cranky on the first date, so she was left alone for the 2nd date and the meeting with a potential adopter of a single bun. Greta did okay on the dates, but the first boy bun didn't really hit it off with the girl buns there. The adopter of a single bun, though, did pick her. I was going to hand her off to her new Mama that following Saturday. Kristie, Cinnabun, Greta, Jazmine (a bun for another woman in NW Indiana to foster), and I all came back home.

That following week, Greta stopped eating. We were at the vet every day getting X-rays and other tests done to see what the problem was. Unfortunately, her new Mama (a first time bunny owner) decided that she should probably choose another bun instead - Greta has a few other issues that might cause problems in the future. Poor Greta. She's pretty much back to normal now. I did get to learn how to give subcutaneous fluids, though, which was a goal of mine.

Then after work on July 3rd, I drove down to Indy to trade Cinnabun for Cassandra, another former foster bun of mine who has gotten into some trouble. She had bit a few of the volunteers at the Petco store where she was, and this last one nicked a blood vessel. So the decision was made to pull her from the store, and I brought her back home to live with me. She is a lot sweeter than she used to be, but she did nip me on my wrist when I was putting the refilled pellet bowl back into her pen. It didn't bleed, but it bruised right away.

I also took in 2 short-term foster buns because their old foster Mama had to take in a relative who needs surgery and there are allergies. Honey, a gray-ish agouti Dutch, is 11-12 years old, and I feel very honored to be caring for this matriarch of IHRS. She's finally starting to warm up to me - dried fruit treats really help, as do great butt scratches I give her. Joshua is the other bun I took in. He's a brown agouti and has upper respiratory issues at times. He's pretty sweet.

I certainly have no more room at the Bunny Inn!!!

Mama

Caspian, the Explorer

I had Caspian out tonight a couple of times - the first, in a snuggle session on the couch when I got home from work; the second, upstairs while I lay on the floor reading. Well, after ump-teen million times of him, um, getting frisky, with various parts of me (shoulders, legs, head, etc.), he will stretch out to rest for a few seconds (30, tops), then be back grunting, circling, and showing his misplaced lust. Tonight, I lay reading undisturbed for 45 seconds, then turned to see where Caspian was. He was down three stairs! With me chaperoning/spotting him, he went down to the last step, where I scooped him up and said that if he got too close to Harrison, Harry would eat him. I mean, Harry is twice Caspian's size, easily.

What a quick learner! I guess if he can't get me interested in what's he's selling, he'll go find someone who is :-)

Mama

Caspian, the Cuddle Bunny

Finally, Caspian's amorous advances are slowing down. He still jumps from one end of his house to the other when he sees me, and I've finally figured out why. He wants to be held! Is he the oddest bun or what? When I hold him, he just nestles his head under my chin or on my shoulder and just laps up the attention. The first night I held him, he was licking my face and neck. He will give the occasional grooming nip, and sometimes his love switches to the kind that shouldn't be shown by a boy to his Mama, but otherwise he's the quintessential lap rabbit.

I finally got a cuddler!! :-)

Mama

Am I a Bad Mama....

To be laughing at Caspian's, um, problem? He's still very randy, and he's been launching himself at me if I have the top door to his house open. He'll then try to attach himself to my arm and molest me. Well last night, I was bent over and talking to him while standing near the short side of his cage. No door or anything nearby - just the bars between us. He flings himself at me and I hear "clunk" as he hits the metal bars of his cage. I couldn't help but laugh. I could almost hear him thinking "WO-MAN! WO-MAN!" like he was a cave-bun or something. The incident didn't even slow him down.

So am I a bad bunny Mom to laugh at this?

Mama

Caspian - Doing Well

Caspian has calmed down a tiny bit from his surgery. He's definitly eating more (though not lettuce), and there is no swelling or redness or anything from the incision or empty spots. I do still have to pin him to the floor of his house with one hand so my other hand can handle the pellet and water bowls (literally) unmolested. I'm going to take him in on Sat. to get him microchipped.

Mama

"Shop for Hop" is Now Open

In an effort to raise some money for rabbit rescue-related causes, I am crafting items to sell on Etsy.com:

WhiteStix's Shop for Hop

People who order from me can choose where the donation (listed for each item) will go - Red Door (no-kill shelter/foster system), the Indiana House Rabbit Society (rescue/foster system), or an emergency fund that I'll send to help with costs entailed from big seizures of rabbits anywhere in the US.

I'll be making several other kinds of afghans (including a doll-sized version of the one there now), heavy and warm winter scarves, and (if I can figure the patterns out) stuffed rabbits. I'm hoping to come up with some bunny-safe crocheted toys to make, so I'll keep everyone posted. My kids (foster and otherwise) don't play with the stuffed carrot I have now, but other buns might love to toss a carrot-shaped toy with jingles in it.

Mama

New Member of the Warren

Okay, so yesterday I go to the Porter County shelter to help with the five rabbits they had. I was going to sex them and take some photos for their website. I go in and see four of the rabbits in the cages they usually use for them, and I look for the fifth bun. (They usually use a Tommy cage or something similiar for the "overflow".) I go around the corner behind the one small wall, and come face to face with this face:



If Calvin and Jessica would have been able to have kids, I'm sure they would have looked like him! So, I had him briefly checked at my vet (along with Rose), then we swung back to the shelter for me to fill out adoption forms on him. He was surrendered to the shelter on 5/27 (they thought he was a girl). And I was able to see why he was surrendered after interacting with him at the vet's office. If you looked up "randy" in the dictionary, you'd see a pic of his fuzzy face! If it moves, he wants to mount it - my leg, my hand, my chest if I'm holding him. Needless to say, he's getting neutered Monday.

His name is Caspian Peter. And yes, I'm a long-time Narnian!

More updates and pics later. The boy barely sits still and hasn't eaten much. As soon as he sees me, he goes nuts trying bust out and have his way with me. Hopefully the surgery will put a stop to his Oedipal complex.

Mama

News

Hi, everyone. A quick update before announcing a new permanent member of the warren.

Harrison escaped again yesterday, somehow getting the sheet that's covering his pen off enough to see the ceiling and know he could jump/climb out. I don't think he was out long (I was out doing errands) before I caught him in the kitchen and put him back into his house. He didn't seem any the worse for wear. He's finally off kennel rest, too, and he got to explore the upstairs play area Friday night. He mastered the stairs as quickly as Cassandra did!

Speaking of Cassandra, I guess she's trying to bite the Petco employees when they go into her hexiglass cage to clean and refresh her pellets, etc. She was cage possessive here, too, so hopefully she'll either calm down or the Petco employees will learn a few tricks. I hope she's not requested to leave the store.

I have a new foster rabbit, who I have named Rose. She's from the Porter County animal shelter. She's over 6 1/2 lbs., white with black spots/blotches, and possibly pregnant. I'm fostering her for the shelter and not the IHRS. She was brought in with another girl (who looked less fat, so either not as far along in her preg. or not preg. at all) and a young male. They were all together in the same carrier or box when they were brought to the shelter, hence the guess that they're pregnant. Rose was pulling some of her fur out yesterday, so I said I'd foster her so she'd be somewhere less stressful if she does deliver. I'll keep the blog posted on what's happening with her, and post some photos when I can.

Mama

Harrison's Boo Boo

Well, I came home Friday night and guess who wasn't in his pen? Yep, Harrison either scaled the wall of his prison or did the high jump. I think he made his escape shortly after I left for work, judging from how much salad was left in his pen.

Anyway, I was able to grab him pretty easily and put him back into his pen. (He's unneutered, and I was thankful he didn't get into Julia's pen and, well, have his way with her - she's neutered, but I don't want to deal with a false pregnancy.)

I noticed that he was limping, holding his left front foot up. We made the bunny ER trip (after hours call to my vet), and after a few really cool digital X-rays, it was determined that he had 2 hairline fractures of his radius and ulna near his elbow. And he has pasteurella, for his nose was oozing some green stuff and his forearms were icky from him wiping his nose with them.

Now I get to wrestle him to give him his antibiotics and pain meds while not putting too much pressure on him so I don't aggravate the leg. I've asked the head of the IHRS chapter if he could go to a different foster home, one with at least two sets of hands to restrain him better than I can by myself.

I so wish you could get them to understand that they have to take the medicine and that it's for their own good.

Mama

Harrison, aka "Spider Bun"

Okay, I know I should be happy that Harrison is feeling better and a lot more energetic. However, I finally got to see what all the noise is about when I'm in bed at night. Harrison stood on the second "rung" of the pen he lives in, putting his front paws over the top edge and resting his chin on the top as he looked around.

Now, has anyone out there had a rabbit that can scale a pen?! I haven't taken any precautions to keep him from leaping out, for I'm at a loss here. I can put some cardboard over the top of the pen to make a sort of roof, but I'd rather not do that.

I have seen kittens scale the bars at a shelter before, but I never thought a rabbit could do it. Harrison is definitely a special boy!

Mama

Carson, a.k.a. "Hare-y Houdini"

This morning, I awoke to the sound of thumping. It sounded like it was coming from a bun on carpet. Well, I figured that Jenna or PJ must just be in their house in a way that just made it sound like that, since no buns are out when I'm sleeping and the only bun living in a pen close enough for me to hear is Harrison, and he's on newspaper-covered vinyl flooring.

Then I hear something that sounded like PJ and Jenna fighting. It happens again about 30 secs. later, so I say, "Guys, come on. Stop it." Then I hear more thumping.

So, thinking that I have 20 mins. or so before I have to get up anyway, I wander over to PJ and Jenna's house and can see they're just sitting there. I hear thumping, and squint towards the hallway. Hmm, why is there a blur that looks like Carson in the hallway? I wander back to put my glasses on and look into the hall again. There is Carson sitting there looking at me and thumping.

"How in the world did you get out?" I asked him, then wondering if he chewed any cords whilst on the lam. He freaks out and runs back into the study, behind his cage.

The cage he's in has doors on the side and on the top. I always lock the side cage, since he could push on it and open it, but I only secure the top door lightly. Well, the top door is wide open, so he had to have some how gotten that door open, jumped out of it, and jumped onto the floor. He was then unable to get back into his house. His water bottle was knocked off, too.

I moved his house out and opened the side door, eventually getting him shooed inside. I gave him a headrub, and he immediately relaxed. His breathing was still fast and shallow, like hyperventilating. He started to eat his salad right away when I gave it to him, and he seemed to have calmed down when it was time for me to leave for work.

Needless to say, I fasted the side locks on the top door, and if he gets out again, he'll have had help. I've never had a rabbit escape from his house since Calvin did it way back in 2003, so the title "Hare-y Houdini" gets passed to Carson.

Mama

PS Carson was thumping all during playtime last night. I don't know whether he was freaked out that there was a huge white rabbit downstairs, that we were getting another earthquake, or what. Maybe he was giving me some sort of ultimatum and I failed his test so he "escaped."

New Foster - Harrison

I drove down to Ft. Wayne last night to take in one of the 4 rabbits the IHRS pulled from a kill shelter there. All are big buns - 10+ lbs. - and I took the guy who seems a bit down on his luck. Harrison is a big, white guy, who is very underweight and has rough fur and some weepy eye discharge. He's got pink eyes - the first pink-eyed bun I've had at my place, and he has a very "old soul" look to him. I think he was kept in tough circumstances, crowded with other buns, and that they weren't given enough food and water. I think he was lower on the totem pole dominance-wise, so he probably got the least of everything.

He doesn't seem very perky or very aggressive, though hopefully he'll start showing some spunk when he fills out a little more. He's going to the vet on Friday, and he'll get a good going-over. We think he's a Flemish Giant (his ears are big and either floppy because of their size/his not able to control them well because of being week or (I think) that he's crossed with a lop and is sort of helicopter-lop-eared). I'm sure his personality will come out as he settles into foster care and realizes that he's on easy street.

Anyway, he's the poorer off of the 4 rescued (they were all in one hutch at the shelter), so he'll be able to relax and recover in my nice, quiet home, where the pellet bowl never empties and water is plentiful. Here's hoping there's not much wrong that clean conditions, good food, fresh water, and a little lovin' can't fix
:-)

Mama

Empty Nest

I drove down to Indianapolis this morning with Marja and Greta, who were going on a date with a guy-bun named George. I had Cassandra with me, too, for she was going to move into the Greenwood Petco.

Marja and George hit it off really well. She was the first girl he dated, and when Greta, Mae, and Arwin didn't hit it off as well as she did, Marja went on a second date. George's Mom and Dad picked Marja, and I'm really happy. Marja really made great strides this last week or two, actually kicking her feet out and relaxing fully when getting a head/cheek rub. George's parents are thrilled, especially since you can actually pick Marja up without too much fuss (while the same can't be said about George). I feel horrible that I never got pics of her, but anyone interested can see her pics on the IHRS website:
http://www.indianahrs.org/adoption-details.aspx?id=356

All three of Marja's babies had already been adopted, so I'm so glad that she finally got a home, skipping the Petco digs altogether. It was really funny when it was time for George and Marja to leave. Since George doesn't like being picked up, I put the carrier in and we hoped he'd hop in. Well, Marja went inside of it instead, so George got to ride home in the cardboard carrier that had Marja's pellets, some hay, and salad in it. I know Marja is really happy with George, and this just goes to show it.

I drove Cassandra to the Greenwood store after leaving the Speedway store where the date was. (I'm going to make a list of all the Petco stores I've been in and see if I can visit all of the ones where we have buns up for adoption.) Her hexi that she'll be living in might not be as much square footage as she's used to, but at least the top is high enough that I don't think she'll hit her head if she stands up. It was harder leaving Cassandra at the store than watching Marja go home. Marja is my first foster bun to be adopted, with Kristie and Nadia still in Petco awaiting those special bunny parents. I hope Cass doesn't think I abandonned her or that she did something wrong.

So now I'm down to 6 buns from an all-time-high of 9 (Mario transferring to Robin's house a few weeks ago). I'll actually have time for my own rabbits now. Wow, now there's a thought! :-)

Mama

Pics of Cassandra

Here are some photos of Cassandra, the big (7+lbs) girl. She's so goofy, and you just have to love those ears!








The last one isn't well lit, but I loved her getting tired of having her picture taken and trying to hide under my book.

Mama

Pics of Mario

Here are a few photos of Mario, another foster bun. He's now at another foster home, freeing up some time for me to work with Greta, the new foster bun who is still really shy.






I'll miss this little guy. He has such energy, and he'll be sure to entertain whomever adopts him with his antics.

Mama

Pic of Lil' Miss

Here's a photo of Lil' Miss, the foster bun that I took back to her old foster home.




She'll await her forever home in foster care instead of a Petco store. She just wasn't settled or calm enough to do well in a store, so hopefully someone will fall in love with her through the IHRS website.

Mama

Cassanda - Big, Bold Girl

Cassandra mastered going up and down stairs last night. It took Nadia several days to get the hang of them. I guess Cassandra's size helped. Cass even went back into her house on her own, going down the stairs and into her pen (not far from the bottom of the stairs). I'm going to see if she'll go up the stairs for play time on her own, too.

She was dancing all over and even flopping in bliss when she was out last night. She's such a joyful rabbit. Someone is going to get a great bun when they adopt her.

Mama

Bunny Swap

Well, Lil' Miss went back to her old foster home yesterday. She's going to be a regular foster rabbit instead of a Petco rabbit. She'd do much better in regular foster care, and I don't think she'd do well in the store when space became available.

So, now I have Greta. Greta is the most scared of all the rabbits from the big rescue of Dutches that the IHRS did (basement breeder, so the rabbits weren't socialized at all). Nadia came from that group, and she's doing great at Petco.

Greta freaks out when you walk into the room, so she's going to need some special TLC to bring her around. She has a box to hide in, and she dragged her salad into it last night. She opted not to come out for play time, but hopefully tonight I can entice her out.

I put Greta in Marja's old cage and moved Marja to the "big girl cage" - it's above PJ and Jenna's cage, so I have to pick Marja up to bring her out for play time, hence the "big girl" (ie, mentally and emotionally ready for being picked up) part of the name :-) Marja is being bolder, and she likes being up higher. Plus she puts her head down as I walk by, asking for a headrub, so I indulge her. Hopefully I can get her to demand headrubs (rip book out of my hands so I pay attention to her instead, etc.).

Mama

Carson is Pasteurella Positive

But it looks like the vet tech at my clinic is going to adopt Carson, which would be great since he'd be the only rabbit. He is such a sweet rabbit, and he doesn't even fight me when I give him the medicine.

He's doing a lot better, so the TMS is helping. Hopefully he'll go to his new home next week or the week after. Until then, he's getting spoiled at my house :-)

Mama

Carson Update

Carson went to the vet today. He'd been sneezing and wheezing a bit since I met him last Wed. We did a culture for Pasteurella, and hopefully he won't have it. He has to stay away from the other buns, including a separate play area, and it might mess up his chances to get into Red Door to await adoption. A tech at the hospital liked him, and she's going to work on her hubby and hopefully get his okay and give Carson a home :-)

I did get some pics at him while we were at the vet. He was very good for the doc and the techs, by the way.




He did get his nails trimmed while we were there, too. His teeth are a little wavy, but he'll be eating a lot more hay than he used to so it should take care of itself. I guess he's overweight, too - 6.4 lbs. He didn't look bigger than Calvin, but he's about about half a pound on my Chinchilla Boy.

One pic from him at home:


Who wouldn't love a face like this?

Mama

Bunny Layover

A co-worker had a friend who needed to find a rabbit a new home. So, there's another little guy in my place. He's a neutered male mini-lop, white with orangy-brown and black spots. I've named him Carson for now, and I'm hoping he can get into Red Door's foster program.

The IHRS doesn't take owner surrenders, so I took Carson in as a private individual, letting his former caretaker know that. He's adorable, so he'll go fast once his name and story are in front of prospective new parents. Photos will be taken and posted soon.

(I should just do a huge photo spread on the blog with everybun's name and story. Lord knows I almost need something like that, since I keep calling some of the kids by the wrong names.)

I think it's time I take the "Bunnies are Always Welcome" sign that my parents got me down off my wall, huh? He makes the 9th bun currently in residence!

I hope adoptions pick up soon so my foster buns can go into Petco and work their magic on prospective adopters, especially before the shelters get flooded with ex-Easter bunnies.

Mama

Two New Fosters....

Two weeks ago, I went to the county animal shelter and pulled a cute bun for the IHRS foster program. She was "Mulan" and after flipping her, I saw she wasn't a girl at all. The name "Tabitha" I had picked out for the bun had to be tossed, and I decided on Mario. He's a Tan rabbit, a breed with orange on the belly, neck, feet, tail, inner ears, and nostrils. He's really handsome. He was given up because the owner had allergies, and he's about a year old. He was neutered last Friday, so he's still a little sore. You can tell that his last owner was a little girl, both from his former name and from how much he loves attention.

One week ago, I went back to the shelter to pull the big girl that was given up by her owner because they couldn't care for her any more. I had promised her that I would get her out of there, and I did feel a bit guilty picking Mario over her. She's 7.7 lbs and a Rex mix. Her fur is short like a Rex, but the texture is more like a regular rabbit's coat. She's a lovely brown. She was spayed yesterday, but she's recovering well. I'm really tempted to adopt her, for she's such a great rabbit. She loves attention, and is always begging for headrubs when I walk by. She's getting spoiled, for I usually indulge her, even if for just a quick few rubs.

Pics will be coming soon. For being spayed and neutered, the number of buns at my house sure seems to multiply! :-)

Mama

Calvin and Julia Bonding Update

Love must be in the air. Calvin and Julia had a really great bonding session tonight. I think part of the reason was that I changed the layout of the bonding space, and I also lay on the floor reading for a good part of it. Julia wasn't able to hide behind me and wasn't able to climb up me like a tree. She did hop on my back a few times, but it wasn't a hinderance to the session.

I got Calvin to groom her for a while, and Julia actually sat near him for quite some time, not running away. She didn't thump at all today, and I think that me being stretched out on the floor helped put her at ease.

I can't wait until she and Calvin can "shack up."

Mama

PJ is on His Honeymoon....

With Jenna



She's about 3 years old, and she's 3.5 lbs., about a half pound smaller than PJ.

She doesn't have a middle name yet. She and PJ hit it off so well yesterday that she was his first, last, and only bunny date! She's currently whipping him into shape so he knows that she'll groom him but also expects to be groomed.

At one point during their date, they both sat in the litterbox. Jenna actually gave him a little kiss before hopping out of the box. She sat for a few seconds on the floor, then hopped right back in!

They got along so well that they're "shacking up" already. There have been several chases through the cage, with Jenna doing the chasing, but she always kisses him and makes up. They are well matched, too, and photos of the happy couple will be along shortly. There has been some mounting behavior as they sort out who wears the pants in the family, but it doesn't seem to be hurting PJ's back when it happens (she's been mounting him more than t'other way around).

When it was play time yesterday, they didn't come out of the cage. I guess the honeymooners didn't want to leave their hotel room ;-)

The only problem that there might be is that she's eating all of his food! I hope PJ can keep up with her so he gets to eat, too.

Mama

PJ - Looking for Love

PJ and I are going down to Indy on Sat. to see if any of the girls in the IHRS system who seem to want a partner strike his fancy. I know he'd really love a girl to lick and love, and I hope we find somebun.

She'll have to be pretty special. With PJ's back and general fraility, I couldn't put him through bonding sessions like Calvin and Julia are doing, so he and his bunny bride would basically have to fall in love at first sight.

Keep your fingers crossed, everyone, and let's hope my boy PJ can find the girl of his dreams. :-)

Mama

Julia is Bonding....

But with me! Julia is terrified of Calvin for some reason. She will approach him, groan, then run away, thumping as she comes to stop behind me.

Last night, I got to play "tree" to Julia's "squirrel." I usually sit with my back against the wall, in the corner beside my bedroom door, during bonding sessions. Julia likes to hide behind me, even if she has to squeeze herself between me and the door to get away from that "evil" boy, Calvin. She finally got the hint that I won't let her squish into that spot any more. (I will usually move and set her back out in the open when she hides.)

So, Julia decided to get on my lap, climb up the front of me, and get on to my shoulders, groaning and obviously upset at Calvin for *GASP* sniffing at her gently. As I sat there with a rabbit around my neck, trying not to laugh myself silly, I did feel bad for Julia. I mean, that must be one desperate rabbit to go hiding behind someone's head.

I might stir things up a little bit and put Julia and Calvin into the same carrier (a bigger one that neither have been in before) and take them on a car ride. That's supposed to get rabbits to join together against the horrible sensation of car travel. I'm going to wait a week or two to see if Squirrel Girl will relax any more with Calvin.

But at least she knows I won't let Calvin hurt her, so that's something, I guess.

Mama

My New Home

Tonight, I sat in a pen with Calvin and the woman who wants me to call her Mama. While Calvin was relaxed, I was a bit apprehensive. I asked him several times to groom me, but he didn't. I got a little upset, but I held my temper and didn't vent my frustration. I mostly just sat there, getting some good headrubs from the human and keeping my eye on Calvin.

Calvin is handsome, but it's going to take me some time to trust him and "Mama" - I miss my old home and people. The hay here is tasty, as is the salad. I'm content to stay here for now and see what happens. "Mama" said that even if I decide that I wouldn't be with Calvin if he was the last bunny boy on Earth, I can stay here. I've gone into homes before and ended up back in foster care, and I'm glad that "Mama" realizes I have reason to think everything is too good to be true - me, an older bunny girl, getting wooed by a handsome gentlebun and receiving lavish attention from the resident human. Don't pinch me yet, for if it's a dream, I want to enjoy it while I can.

Julia

A Big Bunny Welcome To.....

Julia Louise

Julia is an Hotot mix and about 7 years old, close to Calvin's age.

Julia's profile on the Indiana House Rabbits website. Julia was her name from the IHRS, and I've added Louise as her middle name because it fits her and her name. JLou will probably be her nickname.

She and Calvin will be going through bonding sessions, so I'll post updates on how the couple are doing as they iron out who's in charge.

Julia settled in pretty well last night. She felt comfortable enough this morning to box at me when I tried to pet her, so that made me feel good. She didn't eat all of her salad, but she has been enjoying the hay. She has a good view of Calvin, and they can get a good look at each other as they go through their day. Calvin sure had a puzzled expression on his face last night when I put Julia into her pen, the same expression he had the day Jessica moved into his house, sort of like "What is she doing here?"

Calvin got to meet a total of 6 girls yesterday for 5 dates, two girls being a bonded pair, and he got along best with Jenna and Julia. I ran the last round of dates, and Cal did well enough with Julia to have me pick her and not try Jenna again. Julia reminds me of a favorite teacher I had, sort of matronly and dignified.

More pics will be coming as she settles in.

Here's to a quick bonding and to a long life together. :-)

Mama

Jessica and Calvin on DisapprovingRabbits.com

Great news! I sent a copy of the first picture in the Last Photos of the Happy Couple posting to the Disapproving Rabbits website, and they picked it for their Valentine's Day posting. At least Cal and Jess weren't disapproving in all of their pics, though I know that they loved each other regardless of their "public" persona (personae?, personaes?) in the first photo.

Mama

Marja and Lil' Miss - The Two New Fosters

Marja and Lil' Miss, the two Dutch girls, have been with me for about a week and a half now. Lil' Miss is settling in well, but Marja is still very nervous. She really freaks out at the sound of plastic bags (she tried to disappear into a corner of her cage when I changed her litter box - the sound of the trash bag scaring her). I tried to comfort Marja by petting her and talking to her gently, but she was actually flinching when I touched her. I think that Marja was hit (she came from a basement breeding situation with about 90+ other rabbits), and she obviously has some post-traumatic stress going on.

Rabbits are such gentle creatures, and I just can't understand how someone can treat them (or any other kind of animal) so horribly.

Mama

Last Photos of the Happy Couple

I got the photos taken of Calvin and Jessica at the Red Door's Spa Day on Jan. 19th. They turned out wonderfully!







The last one's my favorite, with Calvin's smooshed face :-)

Jess has been gone for about a week now. Calvin and I are carrying on, but I can tell he's lonely. Hopefully next weekend we'll have a few bunny dates and the next Mrs. Calvin Parsley will join our warren.

Mama

Calvin - Single and Looking

Wanted: An older, single female rabbit for long grooming sessions, romantic dinners, and good conversation. Me - 7-ish-year-old chinchilla rabbit with sexy black eyelashes. My hobbies include eating, racing around, and showering my girl with affection. Recently widowed. A pair of younger ladies also would be interesting. Have my Mama wrapped around my little toe, so there are plenty of tasty treats to share. Are you the special girl for me?

Well, I've started the ball rolling on getting Calvin a new gal. The Indiana House Rabbit Society has some girls who might like to have a suitor, and there are also two pairs of bonded girls who might do well in a threesome. Keep your mind out of the gutter - this is a rated G blog ;-) I hope to get a girl closer to Calvin's age, but the choice is his to make.

Calvin is doing pretty well on his own. We've been having breakfast together in the morning, using the time that I usually spent giving Jessica her medicine and/or Critical Care. We've also been watching TV together at night, me sitting on the floor and Calvin stretched out not too far away. He watches me watching TV. Thrilling, I know. He hasn't withdrawn or cut down on eating, so he's adjusting well to bachelorhood. He and Jess had been together for almost 4 years. Hopefully he and his new girl(s) will have several good years together, too.

I'll keep you posted.

Mama

Busy Weekend

This weekend was a busy one, rabbit-wise. Not only was I dealing with Jessica's illness (see below), but Nadia went to go live at the Merrillville Petco to await her forever home. (Photos and story below.)

And I drove down to Lafayette yesterday to pick up 2 new foster buns, Marja (pronounced Mar-ja, with the "j" pronounced like in French) and Lil' Miss. Both are Dutches, like Nadia, except that Marja is a blueish-gray and Lil' Miss an agouti (like a wild bunny). Both girls are a bit nervous yet, but they'll settle in fine. PJ is surrounded by both girls (one in a foster addition to his cage as an upstairs neighbor and the other on the floor in a Tommy cage, so he can make googoo eyes at her).

I made myself go down to Lafayette, basically dropping Calvin off back home before hitting the road, after what happened yesterday morning. I couldn't be the only girl here, and my empty nest feelings would have been twice as bad.

Calvin's doing pretty good, eating fine and liking the attention I give him. I'll spend most of the day downstairs with him, renewing our bond. It's so weird to be fixing salad for one again, not having to rip up the lettuce leaves (like I had to do for Jess after her incisors were removed), or to be able to pet Calvin without Her Majesty butting in and demanding all my attention. A new princess is out there somewhere, waiting for Prince Calvin Parsley to come and rescue her, but it's not time yet.

Mama

Jessica Donna, 4-17-2004 - 1-27-2008

This morning, I had to say goodbye to my bunny girl, Jessica.



Yesterday morning, Jess wasn't eating, was lethargic, and obviously wasn't feeling well. She went through this a few weeks ago, so I just loaded her into the carrier and took her to the vet, thinking that we'll just do antibiotics and she'll be okay again, even if we had to start tracking down what the underlying problem was. The vet felt a mass on her left side, and she suggested we get an ultrasound down at Purdue this coming week. She gave me some pain medication and antibiotics to give to Jess, and she told me that she had the pager this weekend if I needed anything.

This morning, Jess was even worse. She hadn't even licked off the Critical Care that had gotten stuck on her lips last night when I syringe fed her, and she was barely able to swallow the little bit of pain meds I gave her this morning. Most of the antibiotic came back out when I gave it to her. She also moaned a few times when I was petting her head. I called my vet and was told that she'd be in at the hospital in an hour. When I put Jess back into her house, she could barely hop out of my arms. I didn't think there'd be much we could do for Jess, and I put her and Calvin both into the carrier when it was time to go to the vet.

They took a few x-rays, and they showed that nothing was moving in her GI tract. The mass wasn't anything diagnosable from an x-ray (like a kidney stone or something). The vet said that she could start Jess on IV fluids and some pain meds, but there was a very good chance that it wouldn't do anything. She gave me some time to think, and I already knew what we'd have to do, but I stood and stroked my girl for a few minutes before being able to say it.

We sat Jessica on the floor on a nice quilt. Calvin was on the floor, too, and hovered near her, coming to me, the doc, and the two techs for support. The doc gave Jess the injection. We all sat on the floor, stroking Jess and reassuring Calvin. After about 20 mins, Jess still wasn't gone, and the doc gave her a little more of the drug. We all knew how much spirit she had, and I joked that Jess was probably negotiating with God (like for how much papaya and oatmeal she'd get every day) before transitioning. At around 11am, Jess was gone. It was very peaceful, and I'm very thankful for that. This was the first time I had an animal euthanized, and it was the last gift I could give my special girl - to relieve her pain.

Calvin sat beside her for a little while after she was gone. He's so brave, like Jess was. I picked out a small wooden box for Jess's ashes (it can hold a photo, and it'll be engraved with her name, adoption date, and today's date) and a small, heart-shaped pendant to wear that will also have a small part of her ashes. I also clipped two chunks of Jess's fur to keep as a memento.

I asked the doc to do a necropsy, and it turns out that Jessica had cirrhosis of the liver. The doc thought that something might have been up with Jess's liver, for Jess's skin was a little yellowish this morning. The doc said that it wasn't anything that I had done, and I understand. We all must die sometime, and life will go on.

Calvin is doing okay tonight. I sat on the floor with him when I was watching TV. I think he really understands that Jess is gone. He hasn't looked for her at all. Bonded partners can grieve deeply for their lost friend, but Calvin is eating and showing signs that he'll be okay. When he's ready, we'll talk about getting him a new partner.

Jess left a hole in my heart that will never be filled, and I know she'll be waiting for me at the Rainbow Bridge when my time comes to go. She'll probably give me that look of hers and thump at me, because I won't have a treat for her. I'll have to remember to ask St. Peter for one so I don't go into our reunion empty handed. Or maybe I won't ask for one, so I can hear her thump at me just one more time.

Mama

Nadia - Now in the Merrillville Petco

Nadia is now in the Merrillville, IN, Petco, awaiting her forever home. Yesterday, the volunteer called me and said that Nadia did great. She didn't fight when she was taken out of the hexi cage, and she spent play time hopping all over the volunteer, demanding attention. That makes me feel so good, to have both foster buns I've had do so well. Nadia is a black Dutch - such a deep, gorgeous black, too, and a few white hairs on her blanket (ie, butt and hips) that make her not follow the breed standard.

Pics from my place:





Pics from Petco:




Even with her odd behavior, Nadia won me over. I would lie on the floor, propped up on my elbows reading, and she'd burrow her way under my underarm and lie there for a headrub with me leaning on her a little bit. It's like she wanted as much physical contact as possible. What a dear!

We're pulling for you, Nadia. I hope you get a great home, soon, though Kristie in Highland will hopefully find a home first.

Mama

PJ Pics

Since I've uploaded photos of Kristie and she's no longer living with me, I have to give some equal billing to PJ, my sweet mini-rex.





He's starting to shed again (so is Jessica) - what's up with shedding in January?! It's still cold out!!

Mama

Kristie - Settling in Well at Petco

Kristie, my first foster bunny graduate, is settling in nicely at the Petco in Highland, IN.

Here are a few photos of Kristie during her last day as my foster:





And a few at Petco:





She used to just sit in her litterbox when she was out to play, but she's settled in nicely over the last few weeks. Now if she can just get a forever home!

Mama

Please Help Red Door Win Big $$

The Red Door Animal Shelter, where I adopted Calvin and Jessica, are in a national competition to win $50,000 from Parade Magazine.

Please take a few moments and sign-up to give $10. If you can't make a donation, please help spread the word! We're up to 97 donors right now.

Help Red Door Win!

Thanks.

Mama

Nadia - In Need of Some Lithium

Well, Nadia has certainly made an impression on me. This little foster bun has had a very hard life in her 2 years or so - she was kept in a dismal basement and bred. Her Dutch markings aren't up to breed standards, but her former owner must not have cared.

Anyway, she boxes. A lot. Last night I entered her temporary pen (upstairs on my landing/hallway), and she was attacking my feet and legs. Needless to say, I wore shoes this morning when I entered to freshen her hay and water and give her salad. Of course since I was prepared, she didn't box.

She is a loveable rabbit, though, liking headrubs, though she's a bit pushy. We have to work on her manners and her tolerance for other buns. I've had to lock her up in her carrier and take her downstairs so PJ and Kristie could have some relaxing out time (though Kristie still pellet marks outside of Nadia's pen to show Nadia who has claim to that real estate).

I enjoy a challenge, and taming this Dutch beauty will certainly be one!

Mama

New Foster Bun Afoot

Kristie, my lovely black and white foster bun, goes to Petco this week (likely this coming Sat.) to await a forever home. I drove down to Indianapolis yesterday to pick up a new foster bun for me and one for another foster mom. My new girl is Nadia, named after Nadia Comaneci (I disagree with the Romanization of her name on Wikipedia, where this spelling came from), the Russian gymnast, after her spectacular back flip into her litter box when she was first rescued. She's a black and white Dutch, though her markings aren't up to par for the show world. She has a few behaviorial problems that we'll be working through - she likes to box at you - so it'll be a while before she's ready to go to Petco to await a good home.

Thumbelina, a little gray/tan Netherland Dwarf, will go to Petco when Lane gets adopted. Kristie was going to fill Lane's spot, but a bun at a different Petco (Andie) is getting adopted first. I'll still get to see my Kristie-Doodle, as I call her, when I volunteer at the other Petco. I'll be taking pics of Kristie this week and will post them. I'll take some of Nadia, too, if she cooperates :-) And pics of PJ, since he's not on here yet, either.

Mama

Kristie - A Thankful Foster Bunny

I'm Kristie. I was rescued from the same shelter that PJ was, even on the same day. I'm so glad to be out of there!

I'm so thankful to the IHRS for rescuing me, and for getting me spayed. Now I can focus on what's around me and not my hormones.

I'm thankful for my foster Mama, even though she seems to get upset when I taste-test her books. Doesn't she know I'm a curious bun and see the world through my nibbling? I'm not yet 2 years old, so she needs to cut me some slack. She even keeps me from getting back into the really cool, dark closet I got into once. I've spent many nights trying to get back into it, but she keeps thwarting my efforts. (Wow, thwarting is such a big word. Must have been in some scrap of newspaper I ate.)

I'm thankful it's so quiet here at Mama's, and that I can rip newspaper and hide. I don't like it when she picks me up to take me out for playtime. She says that I'll have to put up with this when I go to Petco, whatever that means. I don't really want to leave here except to go to my forever home, so maybe someone will adopt me before I have to go there.

I'm thankful for my foster Grampy, who I got a crush on when we went to his house for a week. I'd tease him by sniffing his finger but then moving away when he tried to scratch my head. I did lick him, though, so the bunny kiss told him all he needed to know :-) I've given my foster Mama bunny kisses, too.

I'm thankful for yummy salad, long spaces to be able to race around, and for full-frontal headrubs. I'm thankful that I can dance and rip newspaper and hide and be a bunny.

I'm thankful that my foster Mama has told me that I'll always have a home here if anything ever happens to me after I get a forever home.

Kristie

PJ - "What I'm Thankful for"

Hi, I'm the new guy. I have so much to be thankful for!

I'm thankful that the Indiana House Rabbit Society rescued me from the local animal shelter. I had been there for at least 3 months, but it felt like forever! It was so loud there - dogs barking, cats meowing (us rabbits are kept in the same room as the cats, and there aren't any windows or anything between that room and where the dogs are), and all sorts of smells. I had been "Mr. Boo" because of my tatooed ear. It really reads MRBR0, which means Mini-Rex Brindle and the number zero. I had been at the shelter long enough to know not to overturn my pellet bowl, for that would mean I wouldn't have food until they cleaned my cage the next day. I had to sit on a pressed steel floor that was a lot like wire, and it was uncomfortable. I had a big lump under my chin, too.

I'm thankful that Mama adopted me. The IHRS got me neutered and the lump removed from under my chin. They thought that I might have cancer, but I didn't. Now I have a nice solid floor under me, water and pellets galore, plus salad and hay and, best of all, love and attention. For over 6 years, I was kept outside and even had tapeworms. I still have some in me, but they can't hurt anyone. I have problems with goopy stuff coming out of my butt, and I continue to have urine scald because of the goo. Mama loves me anyway, even though I sort of smell. She calls me "Goo Boy" sometimes, but I don't mind. I show her how much I love her by licking her hands and arms when she's scratching my back, neck and sides where I can't reach. I'm not very flexible (the bones in my back are joining together, so I can't reach around real well to scratch or groom), but Mama knows that and scratches my itches.

With my age and problems, I don't know how I escaped being euthanized. But I'm so glad I did. I'm getting a lot of lovin' and my Mama understands me and gives me what I've always wanted.

PJ

Jessica - "What I'm Thankful for" 2007

I'm thankful that I'm feeling better. Even though I still devour Critical Care so I feel good, it's nice to not have my teeth hurting me anymore. I've heard Mama talk about getting my peg teeth out - the two little teeth on the top have grown back - but she's assured me that it won't be as bad as when I got all of my front teeth out. (Dr. Ladd, who I tolerate, will do it, so we don't have to go to Purdue, either.)

I'm thankful for papaya, both dried and regular. Mama got me some fresh papaya when we came home from my surgery. I didn't know what it was at first, but I soon figured it out.

I'm thankful that I've learned how to use my lips for stuff, like picking up oatmeal so I can eat it. I used my front teeth for so much, so I've had to adapt. Mama tells me that people have to adapt to stuff sometimes, too, so I don't feel bad about it.

I'm thankful that I got to meet my Great-Grammies when we went to Grampy's house. Mama told me that my middle name was Grammy's name, and I'm sad that I never got to meet her.

Jessica

Calvin - "What I'm Thankful for" 2007

I'm thankful that I'm still with Mama, and that my girl, Jessica, is still here.

I'm glad that Jessica got her front teeth removed. Now when she beats me up, she can't rip my fur out. (Okay, I still rip her fur out, but I just love her so much that I can't help it.)

I'm thankful for the yummy treats Mama got when we were visiting Grampy - dried banana chips, dried cranberries (unsweetened), and huge dried papaya pieces. And of course, I still am thankful for oatmeal and raisins.

I'm thankful that Mama has been around more. I guess she left school, so that means she's home every evening and we get lots of play time.

Calvin

Mama - "What I'm Thankful for" 2007

I'm thankful that I've gotten involved with the Indiana House Rabbit Society, rescuing rabbits. I'm a "bunny buddy" to an IHRS rabbit at the local Petco, and I have a foster bun, Kristie, that will go to the Petco program when the current bun gets adopted. I also took an IHRS bun, Mimzy, down to Indianapolis for vet care. (She wasn't able to sit or hop - she'd fall over onto her right side. She was eating and moving around as best as she could. From what I understand, she's made a great recovery.)

I'm thankful that PJ came to live with me. I don't know how long he'll be around, with his age and health issues, but he's the sweetest little guy. I'm glad to give him the lovin' he never got before.

I'm thankful for the amazing new car that can fit 2 cages (1 completely and 1 semi-disassembled), 3 carriers, hay, salad, toys/bowls, pellets, and my stuff. It's come in handy when we went to Purdue to get Jess's front teeth removed and when we went back to PA after my Mom passed away. I couldn't have fit half of this stuff in my old car.

I'm thankful for my job, which keeps my buns in salad and hay. I like the job for much more than just for that, but this is a bunny blog, after all :-)

Mama

Updates coming...

Sorry it's been so long since the buns' blog has been updated. I'll be adding new stuff over the next few days. So much to add: a new bun has joined our warren - PJ; a foster bun - Kristie - has been living with us, too; and the buns' Grammy passed away.

Photos of the new buns coming soon, too.

Mama

Three years later....

Three years ago today, Calvin and I went to Red Door to get him a buddy. Jessica was the last bun we saw and, while it wasn't love at first sight (yes, buns do this, bonding instantly), Calvin's life got a lot brighter. Despite health problems, especially her teeth, Jess has been so sweet and sassy and adorable. For her special "gotcha" day, I bought some of her favorite treats - papaya - and a new treat, a mix of hay, tiny pine cones, and flower petals.

Jess will be getting her front teeth removed in a few weeks. Surprisingly, it isn't that expensive, and it's the best chance we have of getting her molars back the way they should be - nice and even. I'll drop Jess and Calvin off in the morning and pick them up in the evening. I've been brushing Jess every night since Sunday, since she'll not be able to groom the way she's used to once her teeth are removed. Since she won't be able to pluck chunks of hair from herself (or Calvin), I want to make sure she stays looking mah-velous.

Jess... 3 years later and still a bundle of personality :-)

Mama

Teeth, the Bread and Butter of a Bun

Jessica has had trouble with her teeth for quite a while. Her left front tooth is curving to the left, and her molars are "stairstepped" or uneven. I've heard from two vets that it might be best to have her front teeth removed in order to keep them from growing too much and making her molars not meet when her mouth is closed.

I don't know how much the surgery would be, but she'd likely have to stay overnight at the vet to make sure she's eating again. I'd have to chop up her carrots and probably make lettuce and things into smaller pieces, since she couldn't bite stuff off after her front teeth are removed. I really am agonizing over this, for I feel like it'd be mutilating Jess, even if it'd help her in the long run. Hopefully I'll get to talk to our vet here in Indiana and ask her if their removal would really fix the problem with her molars. Financially (and emotionally, for Jess), that would make it worthwhile, though I'd still feel like a horrible Mom.

Jess doesn't chew on things too much (Calvin has the corner on that market), but she does use her front teeth a lot when she grooms herself, pulling out loose tufts of fur and eating them. (She also pulls hunks of Cal's fur out, too, so she wouldn't be able to do that anymore, either.) That isn't good for her digestive system, eating that much hair, but since buns groom so much, I don't know if just using her lips and tongue will give her as much satisfaction. She'd still be able to inhale parsley and stuff (lips help feed in food, even if she can't rip stuff up using just her lips) since she doesn't use her front teeth for that, and I'm watching her to see what else she'd be unable to do if the teeth were removed.

My poor, sweet, sassy girl.

Mama

Happy Tail

Ever since Jess had her teeth ground down and evened out a few weeks ago, she has been so active. She zips around a lot, more than she ever has since coming to live with us almost 3 years ago. What I most love is when she shakes her tail. Both Jess and Cal will shake all over, sometimes as a "half-binky" and sometimes just as a shudder. When Jess shakes just her tail, though, it tells me how happy she is. It's like when a duck shakes its tail when it settles onto water or is feeling pleased with itself. Between the tail and the bouncing ears when she hops along, I just can't help but smile at her Royal Cuteness :-)

Mama

Hoppy Spring :-)

I took the buns out for a hop today, individually since Jess runs around while Calvin is fairly stationary. Calvin went first today, and he didn't eat as much of the Great Outdoor Buffet as he usually does. There were noisy cars and an occasional motorcycle which made him a bit frightened, and he chewed on his harness a bit, too. I'm sure he'll get used to being out again - hopefully I can take him out every weekend.

Jess, as usual, didn't let any noise or strange sights bother her at all. She ran all over the place, so I got a workout, too. I think she actually played with me at one point. She ran ahead three feet, then turned sideways to get me to catch up, then ran ahead again and turned, and did it once more. It was like she was playing Follow the Leader. She hadn't ever done that before, so I think she might have been having fun. She almost got out of her harness as I was grabbing her to bring her back inside. I love how her ears bounce up and down when she runs :-)

Mama

Improvements :-)

I've finally updated the buns' blog to include subjects, so that old posts are indexed and easy to find. Have fun going back and reading your favorite stories of the fuzzy exploits of the Fuzzy Duo.

Mama

Pedicures

Today, I trimmed the buns' toenails. Calvin was pretty good today - I only had to trance him a few times, but otherwise he let me touch and handle his feet while he was awake. The first time I trimmed his nails, almost 4 years ago, I cut one nail a little too short, and it bled a little. And it happened again today. That's why Mama keeps stiptic powder handy. If his nails weren't so dark, it'd be a whole lot easier. I'm sure Calvin thinks it'd be a whole lot easier if I just left his feet alone ;-)

Mama

When the Girlfriend Moved In

The other day, I had to smile when I watched Calvin do his little "I love you" dance when Jessica came hopping over after I opened the door to their house. When Jess first came to live with us, I had to bond the two of them, basically get them used to each other. They fought, and I had to intervene a few times. I know Jess and I both have scars to show for it, and I can assume that Cal got a couple, too.

Well, after a few weeks, I would turn the two of them loose in the apartment after their bonding session. (Bonding should happen on neutral ground, so neither bun is too territorial.) Calvin went into Jessica's house a few times, but she wasn't near by. (I was afraid she'd get mad at finding him in her home - a one level cage - when Cal had the big, two story bunny condo. And yes, that's really what they're called.)

I had wondered when bonding was over - when I could house them together without trouble. Then on Mother's Day 2004, Jessica decided it for me. She hadn't gone into the condo at all on her tour of the apartment, although she gave it some sniffs and knew who lived there. Well, she just jumps on in and immediately goes upstairs, where the litterbox/hay was and the stellar view of my messy apartment. Calvin hopped in shortly after, and he went upstairs. I was tense, afraid he'd kick her out or fight, since she was on his turf. Nothing happens....still nothing....then Calvin gets this odd look on his face, like he couldn't understand what she was doing in his bachelor pad.

I laughed, for he really did look perplexed, and I said, "Calvin, that's what happens when you give your girlfriend the keys to your place. She'll move in when you're not looking." :-) She hasn't put up pink curtains or tossed out his old couch, but she does snatch food from his mouth. I think he's down with that, though :-)

Mama

2 new nicknames added

I added "The Fuzzy Duo" for both buns (since I used it in the "I'm outnumbered!" posting) and Needle Nails for Jess.

Mama

I'm outnumbered!

The Fuzzy Duo have become a little more aggressive when wanting treats. I'll be on the couch, reading or watching TV, and one jumps up either beside me or on me. Calvin will look at me with his head cocked to one side and then stick his tongue out, licking his lips in anticipation of getting a treat. Jess, though, will jump up and get in my face, sniffing excitedly. Since I can't reach for the bag or can of treats with a bunny sitting on my chest (nor can I rollerskate in a buffalo herd), I try to nudge him or her down so I can reach over and get the treats. Well, then of course, the other one has to jump up, since I'm reaching for something that must be treats, so now I have both buns crawling all over me and interfering with me grabbing the goodies.

I guess I should have treats on me at all times, close enough to not have to reach for them, so I can quickly and painlessly appease my Bunny Overlords. :-)

Mama

Jess a cannibal?

Jessica and Calvin often have little tussles, with one mounting the other in a display of dominance. And, being bunnies, they also consume a fair amount of fur when they groom themselves.

Well this morning, Jess gets mad at Calvin for something and starts mounting his head. I was standing right there and, thinking that Calvin didn't do anything to deserve the treatment, I pull Jess off of him. I noticed that Jess had a hunk of Calvin's fur hanging from her mouth. I tried to blow it off of her (rabbits are very touchy about someone touching them on the chins, so I didn't feel like risking my fingers to pull it off by hand), but it didn't work. And then she starts eating the fur!

I've always kidded Calvin that he was Jess's chew toy. I didn't know that I was so accurate! :-)

Mama

PS Calvin was none the worse for the encounter. While I can see the spot where the fur came from, it's only because of the pattern in Calvin's coat - it's a darker spot because the dark undercoat is more visible. He takes chunks of fur out of Jessica, too, which leaves bare spots on her (usually on the back of her neck).

One more nickname added

A new nickname has just come into use, so it's been added to the list. Love Sponges, applicable to either or both of them :-)

Mama

The Necessity of Carrots

Last night, I had forgotten to get out a carrot when preparing the buns' salad. I didn't realize it until I was carrying their bowls to their house. I thought "Oh, well, they can live without carrot for one night."

I put the bowls into their house. Calvin snags some dill and starts eating right away, but Jessica sniffs around, looking for carrots. (I usually hand her the carrot half that is hers.) Now, sometimes I run out of carrots, but Jess hasn't acted like this when that happens. Somehow she knew I had carrots but was too lazy to add one to the salad when I realized I forgot. Well, she looks at me, sniffs at me, then gives me this sorry expression that says, "What, no carrot? Wasn't I a good bunny girl? I was cute and lovable all day, and I don't get a carrot?"

So, I go back to the fridge, get out a carrot, wash it off, and break it in two. Jess was there, waiting for me, to take her half and start munching away, eventually running down to the first floor of their house to continue eating it.

I have a feeling that if they'd have been human and me a chef at a restaurant, Jess would have sent the meal back to the kitchen, with Calvin eating off the plate as the waiter carried it off.

They have me trained so well, don't they? :-)

Mama

More nicknames added

I added 3 more nicknames for either bun and 2 more for Jessica.

Mama

Mama - "What I'm Thankful for"

I'm thankful for the two wonderful little creatures that fill my life with laughter and love - Calvin Parsley and Jessica Donna. I'm thankful when they mob me for treats, when they're stretched out under the coffee table, when they're cuddled up to me for a head rub. I'm thankful that they like at least some sort of music that I do, even if it's not Genesis or the Who.

I'm thankful that Red Door, the shelter where I adopted them from, is moving to a bigger location so they can help more rabbits, cats, and dogs find new forever homes.

I'm thankful for my parents, my grandparents, and all of my family and friends. I'm thankful for my new place, 2 floors of bliss and very quiet neighbors.

There's so much to be thankful for, but I'll leave the list as it is.

When shopping this holiday season, please remember homeless animals and donate something to a local shelter - money, supplies, or time. And animals are fellow creatures, not presents, and require time, love, and a commitment.

Mama

Calvin - "What I'm thankful for"

I'm thankful for Mama and for Jessica, the love of my life. I'm thankful for treats, especially dill and oatmeal. I'm thankful for fresh hay and trips to the Great Buffet (outside, when I take him out on his lead - Mama). I'm thankful for our new place - it's so much quieter than the old apartment, and there's more room to run and dance. I'm thankful that Mama goes to Meijer, the grocery store that has the best salad stuff (like dandelion, dill and mint), even though it's farther away than another store that doesn't carry all the great stuff she buys us. I'm thankful she knows that I don't like her taste in music and only plays the CD she bought for us (yes, there is a CD made just of music that bunnies like - why is that strange?) or classical stuff - Mozart piano music is playing right now, in fact.

Calvin

Jessica - "What I'm thankful for"

I'm thankful for Mama. I'm thankful that she adopted me and puts up with my moods. I'm thankful she realized that I can't hear very well and has taught me a few signs in American Sign Language. I'm thankful for Calvin, even though he takes too many of my treats and smothers me with affection sometimes. I'm thankful for raisins and oatmeal. I'm thankful for long head rubs and fun places to hide. I'm thankful for days Mama buys new salad, for we run out of the good stuff before running out of lettuce and parsley.

Jessica

Cranberries - Proof that Buns Have an Odd Sense of Taste

The buns' grandparents bought me a food dehydrator earlier this year, so I bought some cranberries to dry out for bunny treats. (Both Calvin and Jessica love Oxbow's Critter Berries, a tableted form of herbs and stuff flavored with cranberries.)

On a whim, I decided to see if they liked plain cranberries before I went to the trouble of dehydrating them and finding out they didn't like them. (I know there are "Craisins," but they are sugared and, well, the buns don't need a sugar buzz.)

Calvin took a whiff at one cranberry and ate it right up. Jess hasn't eaten a whole one, but she's eaten half of one that Calvin had dropped. (They're a two-bite treat, I guess.) Calvin won't eat more than two or three at a time, but he does like them.

I had hoped to see what a rabbit "sour" face looked like, something like what a kid looks like after tasting real lemon for the first time, but he made no particular face at all. Dill after mint, and now plain cranberries without sugar. Remind me not to eat anything they prepare for dinner! :-)

Mama

Two new nicknames added

I added 2 more nicknames to the list of 11-11.

Mama

Nicknames for the buns

(Sorry it's been so long since there's been an update.)

The bunnies have a variety of nicknames, and I thought I'd share as many as I can think of.

Both Calvin and Jessica:
The Fuzzies; the Grusome Twosome; my bunnykindren; my fuzzy kids; my bunny overlords; the Fuzzy Duo

Either of them:
Hey, you with the tail; Fuzzball; Meatloaf (when they're sitting in the "hen" pose with their front legs tucked under them); Doorstop (ditto); The Sphinx (when they're sitting with their front legs ahead of them so they look like the Sphinx); Love Sponges (they soak up any love I give 'em)

Calvin:
Chinchilla Pants; Shedding Machine; Dancing Fool; The Brains; Handsome Boy; Dances on Underwear (he jumped up on the couch where I was folding laundry one night)

Jessica:
Radicchio Rustler; Beautiful Girl; Drooly McGee; Queen Diva of the Warren; The Braun; Piggy (she gets all excited and snorts while trying to find treats by smell); Crayola Ears (she gets a lot of wax build up in her ears and it has to be cleaned out); Superbunny (she'll sit with her front legs stuck way out, more than in the Sphinx pose); Needle Nails (her nails curl down, so they poke me like pins when she jumps on me sometimes)

I'll add more as I think of them.

Mama

Let's Pretend

I took Calvin and Jessica to the vet last Sat. When we go out, I usually put them in the same carrier. It's big enough, and they can console each other that they're going somewhere. When we get home, I open the door and they go sprinting out and run into their "house."

Well, I've left the carrier door off and the carrier on the floor since last week's trip. Every night, both of them will hop into the carrier and stay inside of it for a while, presumably to eat the hay in the litter box inside of it. At least that's what I, as a rational human, think they're doing.

From their point of view, maybe they're playing "Let's pretend."

Jessica: I'm gonna pretend we're on our way to a carrot farm.

Calvin: I'm gonna pretend we're going to a raisin factory.

Jessica: That sounds good. I'll go with you.

Eventually, they hop back out of the carrier and into the living room as a whole. If they do go on a pretend trip, they never bring me back any pretend souveniers, so they have to have visited a destination that revolves around bunny treats. :-)

Mama

Jumping into the Third Dimension

The buns and I have recently moved from an apartment to a 2-floor townhouse. I had been eager to see what Jessica and Calvin would do when confronted with stairs. I figured that they'd be racing up and down them right away.

Well, Calvin has yet to brave the stairs, but Jessica had no fear either of the uncarpeted entry to the stairs (she was fostered in a home with hardwood floors) or the stairs themselves. She hopped halfway up them last night, then hopped back down. Then later last night, she hopped all the way up to the top. She explored the bedroom (tons of boxes everywhere), went back out into the hall, surveyed the bathroom from the hall, then hopped into the study. Even more boxes there, so she hopped back into the bedroom to explore a different route, and then hopped out and back down the stairs.

Tonight, Jessica has gone up and down the stairs a few times, including racing up the stairs taking them two at a time. (I wonder if I could convince her to carry a few boxes up with her ;-) Calvin, well, I tried to temp him onto the uncarpeted entryway with some dried papaya, but he wouldn't let his back end go off the carpet. He saw Jess hopping down the stairs, and he was startled. As much as Calvin jumps down from high places and explores stuff, it's funny that the stairs unsettle him so much. Maybe he figures that if there are monsters upstairs, let them eat Jess instead :-)

Mama

I guess Jess doesn't trust me

Every night, I hand Jessica her carrot, and she usually runs downstairs with it, thinking she's stealing Calvin's carrot or to keep him from eating hers. Anyway, I gave her a carrot the one night, and she dropped it and started to eat it on the 2nd floor. Well, it kept moving away from her as she tried to bite it, so I picked it up and held the pointy end toward her so she could take a bite. She bit of a piece, chewed, and then grabbed the carrot and ran downstairs with it. Did she think I was going to steal it? I like raw carrots, but not at 10:30 at night. Harumpf :-)

Mama

The Calvin 500, Carrots, and Gravity

Last night, two funny things happened. I was sitting on the floor reading for class, and Calvin came snooping through. Usually when he does this, it means that he's about to go racing around the apartment (run the Calvin 500). And he didn't disappoint. The funny part was, I was at the end of his one run, and he went leaping over me then stopped. He turns around, jumps over me again, and then uses me to kick off the next sprint. I was laughing so hard. Now, he's run into me before (which is why if he's out, I either try not to get up and move around or I announce "Mama walking" so he might know where I am), but I've never been purposely included in the Calvin 500 racetrack :-)

At salad time last night, I handed Jessica her carrot (which she usually steals and runs downstairs with). Well, she drops it, and it goes downstairs. She'll often run down after it, so I was busy straightening the hay in the litterbox after I gave Calvin his carrot. Then, I reached downstairs to get Jess's carrot to give back to her. Well, as I look up, she takes Calvin's carrot and runs downstairs with it. So, I gave him Jess's. I guess I didn't return Queen Diva of the Warren's carrot fast enough. I need more training so I can serve her Royal Fuzziness promptly :-)

Mama

Give me an O, an A, a T...

The other day, I finished up one of the 18oz. "cans" of oatmeal, which I give to Calvin and Jessica as a treat. (Yes, I know it's not that great for them, but they don't get much oatmeal or get it that often.)

On a whim, I wondered if Calvin would stick his head into the can to eat the oatmeal. So yesterday, I made a little pile of oatmeal for Jess to keep her out of the way and put a little in the empty can to see what Calvin would do.

I took these photos today. As you can see, Calvin had no problem sticking his head into the can (and I held the bottom so he wouldn't get stuck). Yesterday, he'd come up for air while chewing but, since Jessica wanted oatmeal, too, I think he tried to eat as much as he could before taking his head out of the can.


As you can see, she didn't have any problems with sticking her head into it, either.

Later, I gave them some dried papaya so I could get good photos of the "begging" faces that they do. Here's Jessica's:











And here's Calvin's:





And a cute picture of Calvin in general.



I love these two guys!! :-) So many great rabbits like Calvin and Jessica are abandoned at shelters each year or, worse yet, turned loose to fend for themselves. And with Easter approaching, the numbers of both will go up. Please adopt - don't buy a rabbit, and learn about what a bun needs to be happy and healthy before bringing one home. They are such wonderful animals and are worth every minute I spend with them (and then some!). :-)

Mama

Ears redux

Tonight, I cleaned Jessica's and Calvin's ears. And again, Calvin is a very unhappy rabbit. He and Jess are laying side by side in their house right now, and his ears are pinned back. I think from his gaze that I should have gone up in flames by now or fallen into a bottomless pit.

I wonder how long he'll be mad at me this time.

Mama

Bunny Smarts

I know I often make it sound like the rabbits don't have much in the way of brains. For example, they don't understand gravity (if either Calvin or Jessica starts to eat something at the top of the ramp leading down to the first floor of their cage, that food inevitably goes rolling down the ramp). However, they do some pretty smart things sometimes.

The smartest thing I see Jessica do is keep ahold of her lettuce as she eats it. She'll put a foot down on it so it doesn't flail around or anything as she chomps. With her holding the lettuce, she can rip off pieces with a fling of her head.

Another genius move of Jessica's is how to get attention. One day, she was nibbling on some boxes out here in the living room. I was sitting at my computer, and I kept telling her to stop. She kept doing it, so I finally got up and went over to her. Well, she looks at me, turns, and goes leaping and dancing off, as if to say "Ha ha. Made you get up."

Calvin's brains seem to always be cooking up a new trick to try. One night, I was upset and really stressed out about a final exam for a class. (This was before Jessica joined us.) I had opened the cage and was sitting on the floor in front of the TV and, I'll admit it, crying. I happen to look over at Calvin the very moment he launches himself from his cage (about 18 inches from the arm of the couch), lands on some mail sitting on top of my backpack, and "surfs" on the mail until he drops to the couch cushions and stops about three inches from my face. I almost died of laughter! He had this smug little expression on his face, like "I did it! I'm so great!" I asked him, with tears of joy in my eyes, how long he had been planning that.

Anyone who thinks rabbits are boring or stupid needs to meet my two!

Mama

Jessica, the Radicchio Rustler

I like to buy a variety of salad items for Calvin and Jessica, and one favorite of theirs is radicchio. Radicchio sort of looks like red cabbage except that it's red and not purplish. I will peel leaves off of the head to give them to eat until the head is smaller than my fist, at which time I'll give them the rest of the head, whole.

Well, it should come as no surprise that Jessica usually grabs the head and runs downstairs with it, leaving Calvin on the second floor of the cage wondering where the tasty radicchio went. If I remember, I peel off a chunk before I put the head into their cage, so when Jessica grabs it and runs off, I have some to hand to Calvin (much like how Jessica now steals her own carrot while still thinking she's stealing Calvin's - see #1 under Tails of Sibling Rivalry in the Sept. 05 archive.)

The buns are good at sharing the litterbox, water bowl, etc., but when it comes to food, there is no such thing as yours and mine or his and hers. It's all Jessica's :-)

Mama